Question - Cost of Church Ceremony

sededdish

I am getting married in March 2013 and am being quoted $1500 by a church to have my ceremony there.  This includes the officiant's fee, the organist fee, flowers for the chapel - ceremony (not reception of course), the church wedding coordinator fee, and the rehearsal fee.

Is this reasonable?  What is everyone else paying? 

BTW - this is in College Park, GA

mrsfrontrunner

Depending on the church itself, that can be an awesome price. The things that drive up the price: how old the church is, how nice the church is, and how big the church is. Since this includes flowers for the church so no altar arrangements to order, I would say it's a good deal. My church should we have gotten married there would have been free. It was too small. The church FI grew up in would have been 700. Just rental. No officiant, organist, and no flowers.

kgrawedding

I think it depends on how many/types of flowers are included.  Ours charges:
$200 Church (includes coordinator, rehearsal, day-of)
$200 Organist
$150 Cantor
$350 Priest (voluntary offering, includes extra because he also did our marriage prep sessions)

We are required to use a specific florist who sets his own prices, $50 each for seasonal altar arrangements, pew bows $5.50 each, pew bows with greenery $10 each, pew bows with white hydrangea $15 each.

This is in Norcross.

haleightibbs

It really depends on the church...many of them use this as a cash windfall especially in this economy.  I go to a church downtown right down from the Fox and they charge $2000 for non-members but it includes the pastor, organist (which for a 100 year old organ only certain people are allowed to even touch), wedding coordinator, set up/clean up.  

NOW, if you're a member, it's only $500 so we have several couples who join the church, attend regularly until the wedding and then we never see several of them again.

You have to keep in mind, that churches are hurting for money these days like people are because tithing is down significantly and this is an easy way for them to get use of the building on a day it usually isn't used but they still have to cover the costs of the lights, heat/air, and the staffing needed for the day.  

sededdish

Thanks everyone!  I just found out that the church probably won't work because they don't do weddings during Lent.  SIGH!